Monitoring Freedom of Peaceful Assembly in Georgia

03.02.2012

Legislation and Practice

Project Summary

This report presents the results of the monitoring of practical implementation of the freedom of assembly in Georgia. The monitoring was carried out by the Human Rights Centre (HRIDC) in the framework of the project “Capacity building for human rights defenders on monitoring freedom of assembly in Georgia” supported by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR) and by the Council of Europe.

The aim of the project was to support human rights defenders in Georgia by increasing their monitoring skills in the area of freedom of peaceful assembly. The project was implemented by Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili and Mr. Bakar Jikia, HRDIC staff members, with support from Mr. Omer Fisher from OSCE/ODIHR.

Twenty-five assembly monitors were selected, by open call, for training. The project implementation team carried out the selection ensuring equal opportunities for candidates of both genders. In the monitoring team 20, out of 25 monitors, were women.

The training for monitors was delivered by experts in freedom of assembly from OSCE/ODIHR, the Council of Europe and the Human Rights Centre, in particular Mr. Neil Jarman (Member of the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on the Freedom of Assembly), Mr. James Sweeney, Mr. Ucha Nanuashvili. The theoretical part of the training course included a review of international instruments, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) case law and Georgian legislation on freedom of assembly. It also covered monitoring techniques and practical aspects. A Code of Conduct was also agreed during the training and all monitors were provided with identification badges indicating their identity and status.

The project also involved the translation of the OSCE/ODIHR Guidelines of Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, which were translated into Georgian by ODIHR and distributed to monitors.

Human Rights Centre (HRDIC) is grateful to Mr. Omer Fisher, Mr. Neil Jarman, Mr. James Sweeney for their efforts, advice and supervision at the training, monitoring and drafting stages. The HRDIC is also grateful to Ms. Irina Putkaradze, Ms. Tamta Mikeladze, Mr. Murman Pataraia, expert group members, representatives of Georgian NGOs, who worked on recommendations and assisted the drafting process by providing a review of international standards on freedom of peaceful assembly. The HRIDC is also grateful to the Tbilisi City Hall for providing statistical data for the report.